The AlmaU Technology Commercialization Center announces that five of the university’s innovative projects have successfully completed the first round of the Almaty City Akimat grant competition for the implementation of scientific and/or scientific-technical results for 2026.
Successful completion of the first round confirms the high scientific and applied potential of the projects, their alignment with the city’s development priorities and current challenges of digital transformation, sustainable development, healthcare, and improving the quality of the urban environment.
The projects that advanced to the next round include:
- Optimization of street infrastructure parameters to reduce pedestrian exposure to transport-related air pollution
Head: Kirill Olegovich Yakunin
The project involves the creation of a digital tool for modeling the impact of urban infrastructure parameters on air pollution levels (PM2.5) in pedestrian areas. The configurator being developed will enable the selection of effective design solutions for street reconstruction and design, contributing to a safer urban environment. 2. Almaty Predictive Culture Analytics (APCA): a predictive analytics system for Almaty cultural institutions
Led by: Tatyana Soldatenko
The project aims to develop an intelligent analytics platform using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to predict attendance at cultural events, optimize communication strategies, and improve the efficiency of cultural institutions.
- “Almaty Without Barriers”: a neuroaudit of the navigational accessibility of urban infrastructure
Led by: Madina Raisovna Smykova
The project is dedicated to an objective assessment of the navigational accessibility of the urban environment for people with disabilities using modern neurotechnologies, including mobile eye-tracking and galvanic skin response recording. The project will produce digital barrier maps, a navigational accessibility rating, and recommendations for improving urban infrastructure. 4. Zabota.asia: A Digital No-Code Platform for Anonymized Patient Registries with AI Support
Led by: Aida Salimzhankyzy, PhD
The project aims to create a modern digital platform for maintaining anonymized registries of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, analyzing real-world clinical data, and using artificial intelligence to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy in primary care.
- HYDROROCK Smart Tree Irrigation: A Demonstration Pilot of an Intelligent Underground Irrigation System for Urban Trees
Led by: Darkhan Yerezhep, Associate Professor, PhD
The project aims to implement an innovative smart underground irrigation system using HYDROROCK water-accumulating units, IoT soil moisture sensors, and digital monitoring. The pilot project will improve water resource efficiency, improve the condition of urban green spaces, and prepare a model for scaling the technology for Kazakhstan. The next stage of the competition will be an acceleration program, where project teams will collaborate with industry experts to refine business models, implementation strategies, commercialization mechanisms, and practical application of their developments. Following the acceleration program, a final expert evaluation of the projects will be held, and the competition winners will be determined.
We congratulate the project managers and their teams on successfully completing the first stage and wish them continued success in the subsequent stages of the competition. Participation in such programs contributes to the development of the university’s innovation ecosystem, strengthens interactions between science, business, and the city, and promotes scientific research that can make a real contribution to the sustainable development of Almaty.